Past is set in stone, only your feelings may change

Moonlight

That was it, Wei Wuxian was sneaking to the Cloud Recesses over roof tops. He had successfully retrieved the invitations but when he came back, he could not find his siblings or his fellow disciples anywhere. He was worried that something may have happened to them now that the darkness had fallen over the world. He needed to know that they were safe.

He was secretly cursing the attitude of the Gusu Lan sect disciples, and especially Lan Wangji's. Why would they not let them enter the safety of the Cloud Recesses just because they had forgotten some piece of paper in the inn where they had spent the night before? Was seeing the invitation more important to them than assuring the safety of the guest disciples who came for studies? And where had his friends and family gone off to now? It could not be that they had been chased away even from the proximity of the gates, right?

He had been worrying endlessly for at least half one hour, standing in front of the barrier which had not been there during the day. After that, he had decided that he had to check inside the Cloud Recesses because he had searched the area around and no one had been there. He had come back up the mountain by the only path there was and he had not encountered his fellow sect members going down, back to Caiyi town. So if the people he had come with were not inside the Cloud Recesses, he did not know where to look anymore.

He broke the barrier with one of the talismans he had invented when he had been younger, it was actually too easy. He went up the last part of the stairs until he could finally see another wall, with a closed massive door this time. He decided to go a little around and climb over a nearby wall. He climbed up and sat on the roof top. The Emperor's smile he had brought for himself and Jiang Cheng to taste was dangling from his hands.

He looked all around, trying to see where his family and fellow disciples could be. But of course, he could not tell. The Cloud Recesses were peaceful and ethereal in the light of the full moon, there were however no clues as to which building could serve which purpose. He was musing what he could do next.

Before he came up with his next course of actions, he noticed that he was not alone. In a nearby watch tower, there was a disciple clad in all white standing guard. Wei Wuxian immediately recognized him, it was the same boy who had refused them the entry, asking him to go retrieve the invitations. He was looking even more cold than in the afternoon and Wei Wuxian had suddenly a strong urge to tease any kind of reaction from this jade statue.

Luckily, it did not take long for him to urge the other boy to leave the watch tower and come towards him, apparently, he did not approve of him sneaking in alcohol. When Lan Wangji came closer, Wei Wuxian's breath hitched. He suddenly forgot that he had to worry about everyone and he only stared blankly at the Gusu Lan sect disciple.

The moonlight was reflecting on his pristine white robes, making him all but shine. His features which had seemed hard under the shadow of the watch tower's roof were now mellowed down. He looked beautiful. The long black hair was complimenting the whole picture and Wei Wuxian was wondering if they would be as smooth to the touch as he imagined from looking at it. He could not keep himself from admiring the Gusu Lan sect disciple.

He realized that he had not been breathing and that his heart had been beating too irregularly for some time already. He shook his head internally, trying to compose himself. He had to hide this exaggerated reaction of his. He teased and the other boy took out his sword. That was the best fight Wei Wuxian ever had, and the moon was the only witness to the budding feelings he was not aware of himself.